A Bee's Perspective - Volume 4
by BEtheLEAF44
Summary: Beacon has fallen. Team RWBY is disbanded. Will our Bees weather their storms or be consumed by them?
1. Chapter 1

_**Four days after the Fall of Beacon**_

There's an age-old superstition regarding black cats. Supposedly, if one crosses your path, it's believed to be an omen for bad luck. It just seemed way too appropriate that Blake's Faunus trait would be black cat ears; clearly, all she ever brought people was misfortune. She abhorred the damned things while making quick work of tying her bow in the flickering light of a hotel bathroom mirror. Once it was secured, she swiftly tore her gaze away from the reflection, not wanting to lock eyes with the girl she despised.

Blake shifted her attention to the bandage dressing her wound, pulling it back to inspect the injury. After she left the safe zone a few days ago, she made her way to the riverfront of the Commercial District as her nearest option for shelter. Trying to keep consciousness while catapulting the tall edifices had been difficult, to say the least. All the bouncing and jerking movements caused her puncture wound's blood to soak through the bindings. However, amidst all the damaged buildings, she managed to stumble across an evacuated hotel.

Blake recalled kicking down the door to the roof then staggering her way to the top floor. Her vision was consumed with dark spots and the lights going haywire in the dim hallway weren't helping. She crashed through the first door she saw and careened into the room. Unfortunately, the blood loss had taken its toll and she ended up passing out on the floor just shy of the cushy bed. Since then, Huntsmen and Huntresses worked around the clock to get a handle on the Grimm in the city, but certain sectors felt like ghost towns due to the mandatory evacuations. She used that opportunity to comb the abandoned shops, gathering supplies for her upcoming journey and to doctor herself.

Satisfied that her wound was almost healed, she flipped the switch off then padded into the dark room. All the items she recently acquired adorned the bed. Though they were easy to come by from several of the destroyed shops, she felt bad for not being able to pay for them properly. Still, that was the least of her worries considering wherever she went, a perpetual feeling of being watched hung over her. It continued whenever she tried to sleep, waking up often on edge and reaching for her sword.

Her Scroll was also situated on the bed; it's time reading 11:07 pm. In roughly an hour, a midnight cargo train would trek through Forever Fall en-route to a small distribution town past the mountains in central Sanus. It would be her ticket out of Vale. Without another thought, Blake placed all the supplies in her newly obtained backpack and walked to the balcony. With an effortless bound, she leaped onto a nearby roof and cast the distant Beacon Academy one final glance before heading north.

An hour and a half later, the lonely Faunus sat hugging her knees atop the roof of one of the train carts. Alone… such an ugly sounding word in her mind, yet it described exactly what she embodied right now. Not even the stars kept her company tonight concealed by an endless blanket of clouds. Maybe some people were meant to live in solitude. At least, that's what she kept telling herself—what she convinced herself the moment she ripped herself away from her friends.

The Belladonna girl thought of them now. A lump forming in her throat from how much she missed them already. Her gaze shifted to the shadowy terrain speeding by and she couldn't help but wonder how Yang was. The thought spurred dark tendrils of guilt to clench her chest; ever-present from the moment Adam egregiously hurt her partner.

Her eyes turned into daggers. She hoped to find the person that said, 'you don't know what you have until it's gone,' and give them a righteous punch to the face. Frankly, she knew exactly what she had with Yang, and the girl was something that should be revered. She deserved way more than what Blake could offer, and someday Yang would realize how she dodged a bullet. Still, it killed the Faunus knowing how much leaving would hurt her partner—_ex_-partner.

Unexpectedly, a wave of déjà vu struck, reminding her of the day she cut ties and left Adam on the black cargo train. In retrospect, it felt like she was leaving a toxic storm behind. Though it was hard, deep down it felt right. Like a weight was lifted off of her chest letting her breathe again. There was some kind of sick irony unfolding as she used yet another train to run away, but this time, she felt like she was being ripped away from a home.

* * *

_**Eight days**_

The sound of distant footsteps growing louder roused Yang in bed as someone approached. Her mind was in the threshold of consciousness—half-awake and half-asleep—but the reverberating noise made her adrenaline spike. Her eyes darted open, practically sizzling from bright sunrays open firing on her pupils. She fought the burn and sprung into a sitting position, fists rising instinctively to defend herself. Harsh reality came with a reminder that she no longer had a right hand, and with that came a chilling realization that she may never fight again.

"Yang?" Ruby's seemingly floating head peeped from the door.

The sight of her sister through bleary eyes made the blonde calm to some degree. However, her heart was making a hysterical attempt to escape through her throat. All she could do at the moment was remind herself that she was home and safe, a futile effort. It vexed her how random sounds seemed to trigger an overbearing anxiety lately. From door slams, to the wind blowing too hard against her window, and now apparently footsteps; she wondered if it would ever end.

Eventually, she managed to brusquely huff, "Hey, Ruby." The younger girl exposed the rest of her body, revealing a tray of food in her hands. Yang watched her take a tentative step into the room as if testing her welcome. A pang of guilt hit her. "Come in," she encouraged in a softer tone, rubbing her vision clear with a palm. Although it was late morning, the blonde was still tired. Honestly, it didn't really matter what the time of day was, she always felt a weird mixture of utterly exhausted and restless.

Ruby let out an appreciative smile before entering. Rays of daylight highlighted her dark hair through the window making her sister look angelic. "I brought you breakfast," she said cheerfully. Her face deflated once she reached the nightstand and saw the barely eaten dinner from the previous night. Without a word, she picked up the plate.

Although Yang's stomach begged for food when she glanced at the tray, it was almost impossible to eat with her feeling like she was always on guard; as if she were walking on an endless tightrope between fight or flight. "Thanks," she said dryly, not meeting her sister's eyes.

Ruby's brows furrowed from worry. She set the dinner plate back down on the nightstand then took a seat at the edge of the bed. "Yang… I know you haven't been hungry lately, but please… try to eat," she grazed a hand on her sister's shoulder. Without meaning to, Yang quailed at the touch. Ruby ripped the hand away immediately—as if she just touched a hot stove—dropping her shoulders. She stood, picked up the plate, but paused on her way to the door. "Not just for you, but for the people you care about," she said over her shoulder before walking out.

The blonde's jaw clenched, eyes flashing at the statement because there was a time she had told Blake that very same thing. She winced then pushed the memory far from her mind. A wave of guilt followed suit washing over her at Ruby's words and their implication. Her baby sister and her dad had enough to deal with and Yang felt like another burden by making them worry.

Even though she knew that they just wanted what was best for her, she couldn't help feeling so… detached. And truthfully, how could her family possibly understand what she was going through when the person she used to be was disappearing as fast as cotton candy in a storm? She couldn't help but wonder if there would be anything left of that bright-eyed girl or would she be tomorrow's distant memory.

Not to forget the inkling in the back of her mind that kept suggesting that she had failed her family and her friends somehow. Part of her believed that was the reason Blake left… she blew out a breath and shook her head in frustration. No way she was opening that wound right now.

Decidedly, she thought she could do this one thing for them. Who knows, maybe she wouldn't feel like such a failure if she did. She picked up a piece of toast and bit into it, forcing the food down to her stomach. It rebelled, but she took another bite anyway.

* * *

_**Twenty-one days**_

Blake breached the calm water of a stream, inhaled a fresh breath of air greedily, and threw her recent catch to join the large pile of fish on the bank. The ghostly quiet of the forest was disrupted with the sound of splashing water as the Faunus swam towards the shore. Upon reaching it, she walked up the small, squishy slope and wrung out her soaked hair. Using the small blade she procured from Vale, she gutted several of the fish then pierced them with a large stick. Afterward, she made her way to her bonfire to place the skewer over a makeshift spit for roasting.

The fading orange-red glow of daylight decorated the sky behind the silhouettes of mostly bare trees. Blake used to enjoy the collective hush of animals and birds throughout the forest during sunset. With it aroused the peaceful ambiance of nightfall, tranquility. However, as she toweled her nude body, that feeling of being watched made her skin tingle. It never went away, no matter how much she distanced herself from Vale.

She dawned her undergarments then squatted in front of the fire, turning her meal on the skewer. This, of course, wasn't her first time living off the land and traveling. Before going to Beacon, she'd spent nearly six months alone and on the run. The Belladonna girl became rather adept at honing her survival skills or making enough money to sleep with a roof over her head. Once in a while, she'd find old friends who also abandoned the White Fang and rested her head with them for a few days, but she never stayed anywhere for long. She feared that if she did, the organization would be hot on her heels.

Since the train arrived at the small distribution town a couple of weeks ago, Blake continued her journey on foot eastward towards a coastal seaport village. From there, she planned on taking a boat to Anima en-route to one of the villages called Higanbana. The Faunus clung to a belief that someone from her past could help her stop Adam; she just had to get to them first. It would be a long trek, but that small ray of hope drove her.

Without asking them to, feelings of sadness and loneliness stung her heart. She attempted to squelch them back vigorously, but it was too late. The distant sound of a twig breaking made her cat ears perk. Slowly, she gripped the hilt of her sword and waited patiently in the tense silence. A snarl betrayed a young Beowolf before it sprang from the trees towards her. In a well-practiced motion, she sliced through the unseasoned attacker with ease. It's body dissolved to dust before it even had a chance to crash on the cold forest terrain.

Standing now, she took a ready stance in case the creature belonged to a pack and they decided to get vengeance for their fallen member. Most of the time it was practical to keep her emotions in check, but occasionally during these quiet hours, thoughts of Yang, her friends, or even her parents bombarded her mind and she couldn't help herself.

Probing amber-eyes sifted through the shadowy tree line. When Blake was satisfied that there were no more threats, she retook her position and added more wood to the fire. In the morning, she'd continue her quest, figuring it would take her another week or so to reach the coast.

* * *

_**Twenty-four days**_

Yang wore nothing but a towel as she stared at the stranger in the bathroom mirror. The girl looked utterly defeated, sporting dark circles, sunken cheeks, and no gleam in her eyes. She sighed and listlessly took a seat on the tub's rim, tracing a pattern on the cold material it with her thumb. It was a stark reminder of how she felt nowadays—a porcelain copy of herself, fragile and hollow.

"Knock, knock," Ruby greeted from the bathroom's door. "You ready for me to tie your hair up?"  
Her lips thinned from annoyance. One day Yang would get the hang of putting her hair into a ponytail herself. Unfortunately, today wasn't it. She loathed being so dependent on others with practically everything during this period of recovery. It felt like she had lost control over her life. "Yep," she replied flatly.

The younger girl approached and was considerate with her sister's hair, remembering how much care Yang used to put into it. It made the blonde cut a sigh, missing those simpler times when the golden locks were one of her biggest concerns.

Ruby continued to work, rambling about her recent visits to the city where she saw Jaune, Nora, and Ren. "Soooo…" her sister drew out while she finished tightening the ponytail. "Dad wants me to get you outside today. What do you say, up for a walk when you're done showering?" Ruby inquired slowly, hands fidgeting.

Yang continued to stare at the door as she took in her sister's question. She kept her head facing forward and gave her sister a sidelong glance. Ruby's face showed a mixture of hopefulness and concern. Even though Yang doubted that going outside would help anything, she couldn't deny her baby sister's expectant look. "Sure."

"Great!" Ruby returned eagerly, heading for the door in a quick motion before Yang changed her mind. "I'll wait for you downstairs."

After showering, Yang got dressed in her room. Getting dressed was one of the few things she did on her own these days, refusing Ruby and Tai's offers of assistance. That way, she could cling to whatever dignity she had left, even if it took her an ungodly amount of time to dawn on sweatpants and a t-shirt.  
Once dressed, she reached the stairs and peered into the empty living room from the top floor. The television was left on, but her sister was nowhere in sight. "Ruby?" She called.

"In the kitchen!" Her sister's voice hollered a second later. "I made cookies!"

A small grin wrestled her lips—the gesture feeling foreign—while the younger girl continued to babble from afar. She tramped down the stairs trying to remember the last time she'd traversed them these last few weeks. When the blonde reached the final step, an image she knew all too well popped up on the television. It was him: the masked Faunus with fire-auburn hair who had been terrorizing her dreams.

She raked in a sharp inhale, her eyes bleak. Vacant. All at once, her body was at home, but her mind was transported to the school's dining facility, distinctly reliving the worst moment of her life. She could see his smug smile. Hear his awful blade slicing away a piece of her. Smell the blood before her world vanished into darkness.

"Yang!" Ruby cried.

The keening sound brought her back although it was muffled from the blood pounding in her ears. It took a second to suss out her surroundings, realizing she sat holding herself with an iron grip on the last step of the stairs. A little ball of Zwei had apparently made his way to her at some point to curl up by her feet. Breathing became a battle, the breaths coming in rapid and shallow, like someone vacuumed all the oxygen from the room. Her sister's arms encircled her tightly. Yang thought she'd cringe away, but she clung on as if to anchor herself here in reality, desperate to not get yanked back _there_.

A sudden urge to slap herself and ensure she was awake seemed like the reasonable thing to do. She had just started to get used to that nightmare plaguing her whenever she went to sleep, but daytime meant cognizance. Safety.

A wild panic thrashed inside her. It rattled her down to her core as she realized what just happened: despite being conscious, her attacker's face triggered a flashback, blurring the lines between dream and reality. Suddenly the control she kept tightly wound these past few weeks unfurled in her chest. Her whole body shook uncontrollably now.

Ruby tightened her hold. "You're okay," the younger girl kept urging.

But she wasn't.


	2. Chapter 2

And no one can ever hurt me  
_Like I've hurt myself_  
_'Cause I'm made out of stone_  
_And I'm beyond help_  
_Don't give your heart to me_

_**Four weeks, three days**_

Billows of dark clouds blocked the afternoon sun as Blake approached the small seaport village. A strong, chilling breeze greeted her nostrils carrying the scent of saltwater. She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath to welcome the scent, feeling accomplished that she completed this part of her trek. Although she wanted nothing more than to check into an inn and soak in a tub all night, she headed for the ghostly port to inquire when the next boat to Anima would be.

Upon reading the dock's electronic schedule, a boat was supposed to depart late tomorrow afternoon but would be delayed from an upcoming storm. With the remaining lien she had on hand, she decided to purchase her ticket anyway and check on the boat's status once the storm passed. News coverage of Beacon played on a screen inside the kiosk while she paid, stealing her attention. It appeared that the Huntsmen and Huntresses didn't have any luck clearing the Grimm from the school. The next story indicated that no one had any insight on where or when the White Fang would strike next.

Blake's emotions bubbled. She grabbed her ticket and tore her sights away from the screen. She posted up on the nearby railing to watch the boats dock on the choppy water. Storm clouds moved across her eyes, replicating her emotions. It had become second nature to clamp down her feelings for survival, but now that there was no immediate threat on her life, she allowed her anger and frustration to be as tumultuous as the dark waves.

Sun had once joked that Blake was part of a cult. In hindsight, she could see how his statement was more or less true. Members joined the White Fang to find asylum—a safe place to go to escape an inhospitable world and unite together for a cause. The coalition gave them purpose, training, and acceptance from like-minded peers. For most of her life, Blake too considered the organization as home, regarding Adam and it's members like family.

When Blake's parents decided to leave, Adam deemed their actions as abandonment and betrayal. A sentiment that spread like wildfire to the rest of the White Fang since many members thought so highly of him. Undoubtedly, Adam considered her desertion as turning her back on him, the cause, and her White Fang family.

When Blake ran, she didn't think that she would ever get close to anyone again, let alone find anyone who could truly accept her. She was so wrong. At Beacon, she found acceptance in a way she never knew she could. The friends she made loved and trusted her unconditionally, despite learning about her tainted past. Even Weiss—a freakin' Schnee—was someone she considered as a sister now.

Of course, Yang was the catalyst that sparked all the chain of events to happen at school. When her partner came to look for her at the Fall of Beacon, somehow Adam had discerned how much Blake regarded the blonde. In his eyes, Yang and the rest of the people she cared about at Beacon replaced him and the White Fang. Adam saw red, hell-bent on fulfilling his promise as justice for her betrayal. The moment he took Yang's arm, her connection to her new family severed along with it.

The roar of a boat horn made her jump, her hand reflexively reached for her weapon in response. After a few tense heartbeats, the Faunus blew out a breath as a cold, fat raindrop plopped on her nose. She wiped away the audacious drop of water and walked deeper into the village. She found a machine used to withdraw money and connected her Scroll. Blake's parents always kept her funds well stocked, even though she rarely used their charity. Unfortunately, right now she didn't have much of a choice if she wanted to scrub off nearly a month's worth of travels and sleep in a warm bed.

"Thanks, mom and dad," she mumbled to herself while she collected the deposited money. A fresh wave of longing hit her from missing her parents. She pushed it aside and continued walking towards the inn near the center of town. When she entered, a middle-aged woman with a kind face stood behind the desk. "Welcome!" she greeted in a singsong voice and a rosy smile, despite the gloomy weather.

It felt like forever since the raven-haired girl interacted with anyone. "Hello," she returned, producing a smile of her own, hoping it looked welcoming and not like a feral animal baring teeth. "Do you have any rooms available?"

The buoyant woman checked her log. "We will in about an hour," she explained. "Several guests have checked out and their rooms will be cleaned shortly. Would you like to book one?"

Blake set her lien on the table. "I would."

The woman pushed it back with a sympathetic look. "Pay when you get a key, sweetie. I'll just take your name for now and you can go enjoy something to drink next door while you wait." Her eyes roamed Blake's tattered clothes. "Pardon me for pointing this out, but you look like you could use a warm beverage and a hug."

Blake collected her money and wrote down her name before turning for the door, muttering thanks on her way out. Inside a cozy booth in the empty café, the scent of jasmine wafted from her steamy teacup. She inhaled the aroma heartily. The Faunus had inherited her love of tea from both of her parents, but jasmine had always been one of her favorites. When she took a sip, it tasted so spectacular her mouth hummed its approval. It wasn't clear if the tea was so delicious because this was her first cup in roughly a month, or if the shop was that good. Either way, she zealously took another sip.

"I see you appreciate good tea," a man with gray in his mostly brown beard pointed out as he set a teapot on her table. "Please, drink as much as you'd like. A gift from one kindred spirit to another," he winked before walking away.

The Faunus smiled her gratitude, even if it was directed at the stranger's back. The gesture quickly turned gloomy once her eyes fell upon the hand-painted lilac flowers on the teapot, a terrible reminder of what could never be hers. Even though there were countless miles between her and Yang, the blonde remained with her. She saw her every time she closed her eyes, felt her touch like sunshine from the warmth of a bonfire, heard echoes of her musical laughter blowing with the wind through the trees, and her heady wildflower scent practically permeated the air when walking through a meadow.

After only having a snapshot of what it was like being with Yang, she often wondered what they could have built together. Not that it mattered now. Blake was a wrecking ball at best, leveling what little foundation they had along with any hope of a future by leaving. There would be nothing for them to return to, because how could Yang ever forgive her?

Regardless, eventually all of the feelings Yang had for her would fade and she'd move on and find someone worth a damn. And Blake… she would be withered down to a stranger in a photograph the blonde gave a second glance to once upon a time. The Faunus could practically envision Yang with her future family now: a little girl with her smile, a lover who looked into her lilac eyes the way she used to. The flame Yang once had for her, burning bright for someone else.

The pain in her eyes swelled, dripping with it. Just because leaving was the right thing to do and Blake didn't want Yang to get swallowed into her darkness like the black hole she was, it just… sucked. The soft sound of a splash broke her reverie; a teardrop had fallen into her teacup. Her lips turned downward watching the ripples in the steamy fluid, but then another drop fell, forming a fresh wavelet.

_Crap_, she groaned inwardly. The Faunus desperately tried—but failed—to subdue the overflowing emotions. Was she really about to bawl in a coffee shop? She supposed that's what she got for suppressing her feelings for nearly a month with no one to talk to but the moon.

In essence, no other entity besides the moon could comprehend what she was going through. The orb of night lingered patiently in the dark hours with the hopes to feel the warmth of glamorous daylight. Although it would treasure the sun, it would eternally wait for something that just wasn't meant to happen. Maybe that was why the moon was so broken—it realized destiny had other plans.

Abruptly, she began fumbling for her wallet with shaky hands to leave some cash before making a hasty exit. It was just her luck that the kind man came by to put some honey on her table right then. His eyes grew mortified once he saw her face. "Oh! Geez honey, did you not like it? I'll get you another one! Whatever you want!" he implored, double-timing his way behind the counter. He clumsily began pulling out jars of tealeaves while naming their contents. "Chamomile, Oolong, Green? Honestly, whatever you want!"

Blake took a shuddering breath, choking on her words. God, she wasn't even strong enough to hold it together until she got into the privacy of her own room. She gave up trying to answer and placed a hand over her face.

After some awkward silence, the man decided to give the girl some privacy. He walked to the store's entrance, posted the 'Closed' sign on the door, then cast her one more worried glance before making his way into the kitchen.

* * *

'Cause every night since you cut and run  
_I feel like the only one who's ever been the lonely one_  
_Trying to mend a heart that keeps breaking_  
_With every step that you're taking_

_**Five weeks**_

Yang came to despise the long winter nights. Or… maybe it was the nighttime in general. During the day, she could at least attempt to keep herself busy with menial tasks around the house. Well, menial was putting it lightly. Things she used to do mindlessly—like folding laundry—became a learning game now that she only had one arm. There was also the comfort of Ruby, her dad, Zwei, and occasionally uncle Qrow to provide noise as a buffer.

However, in the dead of the night when she'd settle down in bed and stare at the ceiling, there was only the calm before the storm. During this stillness, it was almost maddening how—like a raindrop—one sad thought led to endless showers of turmoil. No wonder why Blake once declared how many people feared silence; Yang could fully grasp the truth in that statement now. Silence preceded chaos, opening the cages for her thoughts to run wild and free. It was during these dark hours that she ruminated over Blake the most.

Her partner was far from perfect, but that was one of the things that endeared the blonde in the first place. The girl seemed to live in a perennial state of being lost and found, yet she never tried to conform and be someone she wasn't. She was complicated, troubled, and hard on herself, but she fought for what she believed in. Besides all that, Blake made her feel understood, even if the amber-eyed girl didn't seem to fully understand herself.

In short, Blake was… a beautiful disaster. Yang blindly dove headfirst into an ocean of adoration for her, allowing the riptide to carry her far from the shore. The funny part was, the only thing to come from it was getting stranded and lost.

She glared venomously at her arm… her stump. The thing was a blatant memento of how she had failed to protect her partner. What's more, it reminded her of how she had always been there for Blake, so much so, that Yang would have given her life for her. Still, she lost a piece of herself in order to help her, and honestly, she could live with that. She didn't blame Blake for what happened. There was no doubt in her mind that if she had to do it all over again—and it meant Blake's safety—she would, because that's how much the amber-eyed girl meant to her.

They went from partners to best friends and were on a path to becoming something more. At least, that's what Yang led herself to believe. She constantly questioned if any of it was authentic or just something she fabricated in her head. Blake had already proven to be a capable liar considering how she hid the fact that she was a Faunus from the entire school for months. Come to think about it, didn't her semblance scream duplicity? Maybe Yang should have taken that as a big fat indication.

Over time, the blonde convinced herself that Blake's devotion to everyone at Beacon was plastic. Artificial. _Fake_. All those pretty little lies on her lips while there was love in her eyes, how could any of it be true when she left all of her friends in the dust? It felt like a slap in the face. Blake was the one person Yang ever opened up to, trusting her enough to reveal her deepest insecurities. Her partner knew how much leaving would hurt her, and yet, she did it anyway!

"Anyone who's ever cared for me has had nothing good come from it!" Blake's words echoed in her mind from the day Yang confessed her feelings. It was the realest _fucking_thing she ever said. After everything they had been through, Blake didn't even bother to offer clarity for deserting her with a measly letter… she felt sooo _stupid_!

Yang groaned, unable to stop herself from plunging into the sea of memories with Blake yet again. Night after night, she did this over and over again, knowing it would only leave her drowning in a bitter abyss. Then, in the end, she was left feeling disappointed in herself because ultimately, she had the will to choose whether she would be free from Blake's hold over her or not. Choosing the latter—_every—goddamn—time_.

Maybe it was harsh or unfair to think this way, but it was the only way she could cope when left to her own devices. These emotions were probably the reason why her dad shut down, or even why her uncle drank. She wouldn't lie, it was tempting to drown out her sorrows with alcohol, but she wanted to remember everything she felt in these dark times. That way, if she were ever tempted to open up her heart again, she'd remember every iota of confusion, or hurt, or the feeling that she wasn't good enough…

A hot tear fell off her cheek for the girl who ran, hampering her thoughts. She blinked furiously, determined not to allow any more to follow. Eventually sleep tugged at her eyelids, and for now, the blonde welcomed the small semblance of peace as her consciousness ebbed away. It would be a fleeting feeling. No doubt her nightmares would be ready to bombard her mind, causing her to wake up shaky and breathless throughout the night. Perhaps the worst part of it all—or maybe the saddest—was how she wished more than anything that Blake's arms were there to greet her when she woke up.

**Notes: **

Dean Lewis – Half a man  
Lewis Capaldi – Tough


	3. Chapter 3

"Come on slowpoke!" Ruby summoned eagerly by the open door leading to their backyard.

Yang plodded her way towards her sister, decked out in her trusty sweatpants, t-shirt, and tennis shoes. Today was the first day she'd been able to tie her ponytail. It was off-center and messy, but it was hers.

Other than that small triumph, most days felt like limbo or some kind of state of suspended animation for the blonde—the same routine on repeat. Frankly, that was all she wanted, to mindlessly go through the motions, churlish whenever Ruby or her dad tried to interact with her. Eventually, they got the hint and left her alone. However, today Ruby seemed exceptionally determined to show her something. After a couple bouts of pleading, Yang acquiesced.

Once she reached her awaiting sister, both girls watched how the snow floated down like confetti from the sky outside, soundless once it touched the earth. Unlike the previous snowfalls during the past few weeks, the white flakes didn't disappear when they reached the ground this go-round. Yang shifted her attention to Ruby who wore an expression of wonder. Not sharing the excitement, she shot the younger girl a blasé look. "Is this what you wanted to show me?"

If Ruby took offense to Yang's indifference, she didn't show it. "No! We have to go outside!" she exclaimed in that manic way of hers.

"Fine," she agreed tersely.

The dark-haired girl lifted her red hood to cover her head and proceeded to navigate across the backyard, Yang lagging behind her. The cold day bit into their skin while they traversed the grass dotted with snow, breaths becoming small puffs of condensation. Ruby led her to the shed, opened the door, and waited excitedly inside. Yang crossed the threshold and walked past her sister, realizing her bike also waited for her in the small space. She eyed it morosely.

"Dad brought it back this morning," Ruby explained behind her. "Professor Port and Doctor Oobleck retrieved it for you. They told him that things are still hairy at the school, but they've made a little progress." She clasped her hands in front of her body. "The two of them thought this would cheer you up and help you want to get back to fighting faster."

Yang glowered, red-hot irritation scorching her insides. "I guess you all forgot," she turned around, voice thick, eyes blazing red. "Like fighting, riding a bike requires two hands!" she roared in a thunderous voice at her sister who looked completely nonplussed.

A flicker in her wide, silver eyes betrayed her discomfort. Ruby had grown to expect harsh remarks from the older woman these days, but that didn't mean she knew the proper way to deal with them. "I- we…" she stumbled awkwardly, eyes retreating from the fiery glare. A deafening silence followed. "…Sorry," she finally uttered in a tiny voice, hugging herself.

Yang shut her eyes tightly and released a tired breath. Her left hand clung tightly to the fabric near her chest, an attempt to nullify the tremor she'd procured. "Me too," she voiced after another tense pause from waiting for her hand to stop quivering. "Let's just… cover up Bumblebee. Okay?" The rest of the tiredness dripped out with her words.

"Okay," Ruby agreed, still not meeting the blonde's eyes to see if they'd return to her normal color. She scampered her way over to the folded up tarp and the two began covering the bike. Once they finished, the older girl headed for the exit. "Yang?" Ruby peeped, making her sister halt.

"Yeah?"

"R-remember when I told you the idea I had? About going to Mistral?"

"Remember when I told you that idea was reckless?"

Ruby adjusted her stance. "Someone has to do something," she stated. This time her tone held certitude. "What if Haven gets attacked like Beacon did? I could help…" she let her words trail off.

Yang held back a snort; her sister could be so naïve at times. It was no secret that both of them were impulsive, but Yang had paid the price for her own recklessness. "Careful Rube… if you keep staring at the bright side, you might just go blind," she declared without bothering to look at the younger girl before walking outside.

…

The next morning, Yang woke up to see the snow had blanketed the terrain in a sea of white. The sight made her wonder how Blake was. It boggled her mind that she still cared, but it couldn't be helped as she took in the wintry landscape, hoping the Faunus was somewhere safe and warm. Her partner's agonized cry from when she was stabbed at the Fall of Beacon unexpectedly rang through her head, increasing her worry.

Though it took a while for Yang to work up the courage and watch the news again, she eventually managed, learning her masked attacker was a high-ranking White Fang member named Adam Taurus. Blake had mentioned her old partner a time or two before, but it was disturbing how someone who she used to work so closely with could just stab her without blinking like that. Of course Yang was frustrated and bitter at Blake for running, but she still cared for her well-being.

A shadow caught her eye above. She watched as a large, blackbird alighted on the naked winter tree branch closest to her bedroom window. Acute, red-eyes focused in on her, making the animal seem oddly intelligent for a bird—a raven, she realized. A clang sounded from the other room followed by a flash of Taiyang darting past her bedroom door. Yang, however, couldn't tear her gaze away, almost hypnotized by the obsidian creature. The raven shot her one last uncanny look before flying off.

"Ruby's gone!" A frantic Taiyang suddenly announced at her door.

Surprise flickered in her lilac eyes, followed by a frown. She felt guilty for yelling at Ruby yesterday, but it wasn't like she had a good track record with her actions lately. "She went to Mistral," she voiced her speculation out loud, sure of it after recalling Ruby's last words in the shed yesterday. Her dad ran out of eyesight again. Moments later, she heard the faint sound of the front door closing.

Yang got up to head for Ruby's room. Once there, she leaned a shoulder on the doorframe and stared at the letter on the bed while she mused. The younger girl probably got sick of watching her train wreck older sister mope around while she could be doing something useful. It cut the blonde; Yang was the one who took care of Ruby for most of their young lives, after all. She needed someone right now, but maybe she should have been there for Ruby too. Not once did she ask her how she was doing since the Fall of Beacon.

Two of their friends had died. Although Yang grieved them, she knew Ruby took the losses much harder. Her sister always had this romanticized view of being a Huntsman, wanting so badly to be like those storybook heroes. Now her world wasn't all sunshine and rainbows after Pyrrha and Penny, but she would use their deaths to drive her actions and continue to help those in need. Truthfully, Yang wished she had an inkling of what it was like to have that fire in her belly. Instead, she had zero drivers, or goals, or anything to get her out the house most days. Her future was as bleak as the current midwinter's day.

"Hey kiddo," her uncle's low, gravelly voice greeted, startling her. The guy was so quiet. It was like he had a mute button for his footsteps because they suddenly became audible as he closed the distance, and leaned his shoulder on the other side of the doorframe.

"Hey," Yang responded and glanced back at the letter.

"Don't worry about Ruby," he insisted, running a hand through his dark hair. "I promise I'll look after her."

She lifted a brow at him. "…You're going after her? To Mistral?"

"Yup," he nodded. "I was going to go to Mistral anyway," he shrugged. "_Now_, let's just say my trip won't be as boring," a wry grin formed at his lips. He placed a hand on her shoulder, his focus honing in on her. "I better get going and let Tai know what I'm up to. Take care of yourself, firecracker." She offered a nod before her gaze shifted to the floor. He left.

Yang walked to her sister's bed and traced the letter with her fingertips. There was no need for her to read it because she could predict what the gist of it would say. Deep down Yang knew Ruby was just answering her calling. Her sister was always the special one—the girl who skipped two years to go to Beacon, who became a team leader, who was always destined to become a Huntress.

_Who the hell am I?_ She wondered inwardly. That question would haunt her for a long time.

* * *

_**Nine weeks, six days**_

It was early evening when Blake sauntered out of the arcane woodlands onto a stone path leading to the center of Shion Village. The sky was mostly dark from the shorter winter days and the wind was exceptionally chilly tonight. "You need to leave! Now!" The raven-haired girl heard someone threaten, making her freeze in her tracks. When she realized the command wasn't intended for her, she advanced deeper into the heart of the town with soundless footfalls. Panicked villagers didn't even notice her as they scurry to get away from the confrontation.

When she neared the center, a group of roughly ten people formed a semi-circle around a brown-haired Huntsman. She surmised that the threat came from the Huntsman since his audience had their weapons drawn, shooting him menacing looks.

A skinny man with dirty, long blond hair and stubble around his mouth took a step forward. Blake raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him. She pegged him as the group's leader by the way he carried himself, but the guy was trying way too hard to assert his dominance. "We can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way," he informed, twirling his pistol in a showy way on his finger. "Doesn't really matter to me, but either way, we're not leaving without the goods."

Blake studied the group; it was no secret that bandit raids were prominent in Anima. However, not one of them held the swagger of a fighter. Instead, they presumed they had power in numbers and intimidation. The Huntsman, on the other hand was the picture of confidence, exuding it in his posture and an expression that read, 'try me and see what happens.' He brought his weapon diagonally across his chest at port arms, a warning gesture. "Go or you will be sorry," he informed, each word its own threat.

The skinny man aimed his pistol point-blank at the Huntsman's face. Blake sighed, _so much for it being a quiet night_. She placed her backpack near the face of a building and drew out her weapon. Draped in shadow, she snuck her way closer to the gathering, keen on using the element of surprise.

"Now," the bandit's leader announced, cocking the weapon's hammer back. "Let's try this—" boom! In the blink of an eye, the Huntsman redirected the pistol's muzzle, causing the wielder to accidentally discharge his weapon. The thundering sound resonated through the air while the Huntsman smashed the butt of his rifle with his attacker's shocked face. An audible groan left his mouth before he collapsed to the ground.

Blake used the distraction to hammer a foot into the chin of one of the bandit's faces. Without giving the rest of the group time to realize what was happening, she took two more bystanders out by storm with blistering speed, maintaining motion to keep their confusion high. A female swung her sword at the hazy shape, followed by gunshots from other raiders. Blake was too fast for her; too fast for any of them.

She dodged and deflected their poorly implemented attacks, executing her own with meticulous and deliberate movements. The Huntsman incapacitated the remainder of the party with quick economy. Soon, he and Blake remained the only two standing. He flashed her a mirthful grin to show his thanks.

His expression morphed into a wide-eyed look of shock when he saw Blake hurl her weapon in his direction. The chain scythe flew inches away from his head, his mouth a perfect O as he watched it. The butt of her gun connected with the nose of the scraggly bandit leader, knocking him to the floor again. He clenched his face, tears forming at the corner of his eyes while Blake caught her gun and aimed her muzzle towards the fallen foes.

The Huntsman winked at her before picking up the group's leader by the collar. "Get out of my village," he warned before dropping the scruffy man unceremoniously on his buttocks.

The leader scrambled past his fallen comrades demanding them to get up. He tossed a look over his shoulder before leaving, "You think you're so tough now, but you wait! You'll pay for this!"

Blake and the Huntsman watched their retreating forms vacate the village, both repressing an eye roll. He turned to her once they were out of eyesight. "Name's Emit," he revealed.

"Blake," she disclosed, sheathing her weapon and putting it away.

"Passing through?" He asked.

"I am," she nodded. "Is there an inn I can check into?"

He put his own weapon away. "Where are you heading to?" he inquired, ignoring her question.

She looked at him steadily, wondering if she should answer that. "Higanbana," she revealed after a beat, deciding that he meant her no harm. "Why?"

"When are you leaving," he dodged again.

She grimaced. Was he going to answer any of her questions? "Communication is a two-way street, you know," she said impatiently.

A playful smile twisted his lips. "Look, maybe we could help each other. Bandits have been on the rise since Beacon tower fell and our Huntsmen numbers are spread out thin." His expression grew somber. "We have a working airship… I'll take you to Higanbana myself and save you time travelling if you help me defend the village for a few weeks. You could even stay in the Huntsman quarters. What do you say?" He asked expectantly.

The Belladonna girl considered his words. Of course it would be nice to sleep in a cozy bed for a while, but more importantly, she would be helping people. Her lips formed a small smirk. "Deal."

**Notes:**

I had a hard time deciding if Yang would have resentment towards Ruby for leaving. It's tough because Yang essentially raised Ruby and probably understands the girl better than anyone, but at the same time, Ruby left her when Yang needed someone the most. Obviously Yang pushes everyone away, so although Ruby tries, she needs to answer her Huntress calling and help save the people she can. You see the dilemma…

What I decided is Yang's headspace is all over the place at this time and I think she would see Ruby leaving as another tally in the 'I have nothing good to offer anymore' department. Of course she wouldn't resent her as much as she does Blake, but maybe there's a little, plus some jealousy?

Also, I've always believed the Vital Tournament was early November and I'd like to think Ruby stuck around for several weeks before heading to Mistral.

Last note: the Huntsman that Blake helped is the dying one Team RNJR ran up on when they reached Shion village.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Twelve weeks, four days**_

It happened every night. Yang would close her eyes to go to sleep, only to re-open them in a nightmare. Dreams were a rare commodity for her before the Fall of Beacon, not that she minded the profound void of slumber. It was actually something she relished, waking up early most mornings feeling recharged and refreshed. How she missed those dreamless nights where she wasn't forced to watch her world blow up in her face on an endless reel. It was always the same: the stage, Adam, the fateful events that changed her life.

So when sleep took her this evening and she found herself in an entirely different scene, she felt utterly baffled. Her eyes absorbed the surroundings, recognizing this place as the beach she brought Blake to on the first day of term break. Back then it had been a warm sunny day, but here and now, the nighttime setting was gorgeous. Above her, a sapphire blue sky adorned with endless glittering stars hung over the vast ocean. The looming moon was it's own spectacle, splashing a white-silvery glow on the rolling waves.

Yang had gotten rather savvy at knowing when she was in a lucid dream; the biggest tell being she had both arms. Regardless, her feet treaded cautiously on the sandy surface, unsure if Adam would torment her here too. While she walked along the coast, she inspected her body and found herself clothed in a simple white dress. That was… odd.

During her exploration, she forgot how soothing the percussion of the ebbing tide could be paired with the briny water that greeted her feet with its white bubbly lace. Under the moonlight, an outline of someone admiring the waves became apparent further down the shoreline. She went rigid at the unmistakable sight of Blake, riveted on the image of her windswept hair and lovely black dress. There was an uncanny parallel between her and the ocean, both: mysterious, alluring, beautiful yet dangerous, and had unimaginable depth where few have traveled.

So many emotions churned within her right then and the blonde had no idea what to do. She was torn: as much as she wanted to be done with Blake—with all those angry thoughts and frustrating ruminations every night since she left—Yang also yearned for this moment. The woman seemed to sense that she was being watched and began to face her. The prospect of seeing Blake's face again silenced the inner battle raging in her head.

Warm amber eyes lit on her, taking more than just her breath away. That gaze kindled something inside, sparking a familiar flame that chased away the cold and the darkness that seemed to consume her life lately. Her partner seemed just as stunned to see her too. She began walking towards her as if she couldn't believe her eyes, and then she was running.

Instinct should have made Yang turn tail and run the opposite way. Stupidity kept her anchored in place, powerless against this magnetic pull. Her restraint crumbled down to nothing. It drove her forward, and then she was running too.

Blake crashed into her with the force of a crushing wave. She threw her arms around Yang's neck and united their lips at once. Yang shut her eyes immediately, drawing in the intoxicating scent of lavender and rain that could only belong to her partner. When Blake's mouth moved against hers, Yang felt more alive in this dream than the totality of her time awake these past few months. This was dumb—hell, she was dumb— but here she was, getting lost in the moment.

One of her arms instinctively wrapped around Blake's waist, the other tangled in ebony trenches and moonlight when it dawned on Yang that she wasn't wearing her bow. Good, Yang liked her better without it anyway. Besides, it seemed fitting that she didn't wear it here since this was the place Blake revealed her Faunus trait for the first time.

Blake broke away to touch their foreheads and cup her face. "I missed you," she confessed. Those words and the low, sultry tone of her voice tugged at Yang's heartstrings. This whole thing was just confusing, but the selfish part of Yang didn't want to stop. She pulled back to delve into her eyes and search for the legitimacy in the statement. Parted luscious lips diverted her attention. She wanted to be kissing those lips for the simple reminder of how full of life she could feel.

"I missed you too," she admitted before giving in to another kiss. Her tongue pushed past Blake's mouth, reigniting the desire in her veins. When the other woman's tongue danced with hers, Yang couldn't help the sigh that escaped.

Blake hummed in response, more like a purr really. Her mouth began to drift lower, placing feathered kisses along Yang's jaw and neck. Periodically teeth scraped against skin, winning sublime sounds of approval. The blonde's eyes fluttered unfocused, riled up from the craftsmanship of the other woman's clever mouth, she needed more.

Blake didn't miss a beat and began zipping down her white dress, the question in her hungry eyes. "Fuck yes," Yang exhaled, not bothering to hide her longing and hastily zipping down the disarrayed black dress. She pushed aside the straps and the dress fell to the ground. The Faunus stepped out of it to be taken by the waves. The blonde became momentarily stupefied at the sight of Blake's elegant body drenched in moonlight.

A light tug is felt at the base of her head, pulling her out of her daze. Her hair is freed of the ponytail she wasn't aware was there. Supple fingertips roamed through the wild tresses sending prickles of fire down her back. Blake smiled, her warm hands moving to brush Yang's straps off her shoulders, guiding the dress down past her v-cut and off her hips. Amber eyes full of awe.

Their mouths meet again, exchanging hot kisses and buzzing from the unspoken urgency between them. Yang's fingers roamed Blake's backside greeted by smooth skin and taut muscles. All thoughts were annihilated from her mind when Blake sighed and rocked against her, goose bumps emanating in her low back from the touch.

That was all the encouragement Yang needed. She guided the Faunus so she was lying on the sand then cloaked her body at once, feeling the sand shift underneath their weight. Quivering thighs wrapped around her waist, calves interlocking behind. Yang reacted entirely on impulse, rolling her hips into Blake's sex. The moans she earned against her neck along with the hands clawing at her back made her see stars.

She eased back slightly, opting to take her time. Languidly, her hand circled a perky breast, simultaneously nipping Blake's earlobe with her teeth. She pinched a pert nipple between two fingers before letting it slide agonizingly slow down Blake's abdomen. Her partner's lithe body writhed with the tide and Yang loved every second of the muscles contracting beneath her idle palm.

Fingers wove into golden locks, tugging lightly so the blonde met a smoldering gaze pooling with desire. Catching Yang off guard, the Faunus used the distraction to roll on top, switching their positions. Panting and soaking wet, she began fervently grinding their middles while massaging well-endowed breasts, dwindling the blonde down to what could only be described as putty. Blake's name left Yang's mouth in a whimper in the act of grabbing onto her hips for dear life, anticipation reaching a fever pitch.

Another subtle wave caressed them with a hiss. Blake adjusted, straddling one of her legs as she sealed a kiss. Yang moaned against her mouth at the feeling of a hand travelling lower, touching her where she needed it most. The pressure was feather-light, a devilish tease. Yang arched into the caress—brows furrowed and cursing under her breath—trying desperately to get relief. "This is what you get for teasing me," Blake said, breathy and filthy against her ear.

It takes the blonde a moment to process the words over the sensations. Her lidded eyes burned red when their gazes locked, challenging. Honeyed eyes flashed back with excitement, Faunus ears perking up. Deciding that two could play at this game, she moved a hand to Blake's core and tested a fingertip on the sensitive flesh. She felt incredible, slick and warm against her touch. Another finger joined and Blake rocked into her strokes, setting her own rhythm with her hips, all the while moving her hand harder against Yang.

The blonde grit her teeth against the bliss threatening to overpower her body. All pretenses of teasing vanished, getting mesmerized by the ridiculously sexy sight of the woman getting off on top of her instead. With her palm against Blake's swollen sex, she slid both fingers inside, feeling soft, warm flesh greeting her digits. Blake bucked at the new sensation, cutting a loud moan. She retaliated by increasing the rhythm on Yang's sweet spot, succeeding in making her eyes roll.

A hand squeezed the Faunus' ass while she thrust and rolled her hips in a frenzy, whispering gibberish against the other woman's neck. A third finger entered, fueling more erratic movements. Frankly, Yang had no idea what her own hips were doing at this point either. She was close, but by the grace of some divine power, she fought her climax until she felt Blake's muscles contract around her fingers. She curled them in, hearing a cry rip through the night air over her haze.

Deep, undulating waves of pleasure emitted from Yang's core, but she had enough state of mind to keep her digits moving, reducing the Faunus to a mewling mess. Satisfied with her work, she extracted her fingers feeling her own body flex and ripple from mind-blowing sensations. Coming undone, she clung to Blake—amazed with the unwavering cadence of her hand even through her orgasm—vision going blank and a deep moan leaking from her mouth. Her body went limp but was still trembling from aftershocks. Blake shuddered above her, folding forward on top of her lover with labored breaths.

Once the world came back to focus, Yang placed a kiss on top of her partner's head, giggling once cat-ears tickled her cheeks. "So... that was a thing," something her old self would say.

Blake laughed against her chest before kissing the notch between her collarbones. Out of nowhere, the blonde experienced a strange sensation. Her eyes took in the line of their bodies, realizing the hand that was previously drawing patterns on Blake's skin disappeared. Her arm—and decrepit body—looked as it did in real life, the metal plate covering the place where the limb ended.

Rattled, she clumsily extricated herself in a rush and scrambled to stand, leaving the Faunus on the ground mystified in her wake. It felt like a silly thing to fret about, but Yang's body image took a heavy hit after being disfigured. As someone who always had a high self-esteem, it was difficult come to terms with this defect, feeling disgusted whenever she looked at her arm.

Blake's expression twisted with worry while she stood. "Yang, what's wrong?!"

The blonde's mouth didn't work. She was frozen with her heart pounding against Blake's questioning look. Realization appeared on the other woman's face and she began studying her, the weight of those eyes almost palpable on Yang's skin. Here it was: her partner would see how damaged and pathetic she'd become. Her stomach twisted in knots while she waited and she'd never felt so exposed in her life, to the point of inhibition.

Her mind prepared for the rejection, convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that Blake wouldn't want anything to do with her now that she'd been mutilated and broken. Her eyes squeezed shut, incapable of holding the gaze and not wanting to see Blake walk away.

Blake closed the distance and reached out to guide the bicep of the maimed arm to her lips, offering a soft kiss. Her mouth journeyed, planting kisses on Yang's shoulder, neck, and lips. A hand brushed over the skin, following the trail of kisses until it rested cupping her face. Yang met her eyes tentatively. "All I see is you," Blake said softly. "You're beautiful," she added with an earth-shattering smile.

Yang smiled back even though she was falling apart. Then, the weight of those words undid her. Wobbly and unable to keep standing, her knees collapsed onto the sandy surface, sobs wrenching her body. Blake followed, holding her so tightly that she rose and fell with every shaky breath.

It's unclear how long they remained that way. When Yang regained enough self-control to open her eyes, the display encompassing them left her open-mouthed. Countless tiny yellow orbs of light hovered around them—flashing and floating the way fireflies do. Both take in the sight with wonder.

Eventually, some of the orbs congregate near her stump. They dance and swirl along the limb, generating Yang's aura to glow around her body. As if by magic, a new limb appeared seemingly fashioned by stars and radiating like the sun. The aura around her body and the surrounding orbs faded, but the new limb continued to glow with muted light.

"Yellow…" Blake's voice cut in while Yang studied the surreal hand. "Cause you're warm and bright," she said, reminding Yang of one of their first conversations, a genuine smile on her lips.

Yang's expression fell. "Not anymore," she choked, voice hard and rough. "I... you wouldn't recognize me now... I'm not" —strong, confident, sunny, anything like you remember—"...okay." She decided on that small word to sum everything contained within.

Blake pressed their palms together, the soft light glowing against hers and reaching her face. Yang memorized the way it limned her features, she was so beautiful it hurt. "Yang… there's nothing wrong with not being okay."

Her words broke the spell and fresh tears sprang to her eyes. "But it's been months! Everyone expects me to pull myself out of this pit and bounce back, but… I just _can't_."

Blake's gaze remained steady. "Even strong people need help sometimes…"

The blonde made a face, disbelieving. "I don't know how you can still say I'm strong."

"Because you are," she said patiently. "Yang, you're the type of person who doesn't run from pain. You feel it, use it to be better, and face your challenge head-on." She let the words sink in before continuing. "I know you've been suffering for a long time, and honestly, I don't know how long you'll keep hurting"—her thumbs wiped away the tears puddled under lilac pools—"but I know one day you'll wake up and find your way out of the dark. You belong in daylight."

Yang blinked. "…Who are you and what have you done with Blake?" she asked jokingly, feeling slightly lighter. The blonde wondered if this is who Blake could be if she wasn't burdened by her past. A fleeting thought that disappeared when she felt a kiss press against her forehead. Her eyes closed to relish the embrace.

This closeness was what she craved, this intimacy that she'd built with Blake over the course of their friendship. Her partner was someone who wanted to know how her day was and if she made it better somehow, a comforting image who would meet her eyes in a sea of people and smile, the person who she felt safe enough to be vulnerable around. Yang had no clue if she had fallen in love with her, but she knew her feelings ran deeper than lust. "I miss you," she reiterated in a quiet voice.

Blake motioned for her to lie on the sand. When the blonde complied, the Faunus nuzzled up against her, tangling their limbs. "I miss you too—but we're here now. Sooo, how about we enjoy it?"

"Okay," she whispered. They lay like that until they were lulled to sleep by the rising and falling rhythm of the ocean. When Yang's eyes blinked open, she sat up in the familiar setting of her bedroom. It was still early in the morning; the sun was just making its appearance on the horizon. Absentmindedly, her hand felt around the empty space of her bed for Blake and she made a fist to stop it.

After all these months, she was still hung up on her, which seemed silly since they never became official. Of course there was a possibility that if they had a relationship, and it turned out they weren't meant to be, that they'd go their separate ways. Honestly, Yang believed she would be okay with that if it meant Blake's happiness. However, their relationship was over before it even had a chance to start. That was what made the blonde the most upset, because she wanted her chance at trying.

Without thinking, her feet carried her to the closet and she found her old belt. Opening the pouch, she pulled out the two necklaces inside. Her eyes peered at the amber necklace that reminded her of Blake's eyes; the eyes she used to find so much comfort in. Her face twisted into a grimace, the gems evoked so many emotions by reminding her of a time she had an optimistic future with Blake.

She couldn't keep doing this—this being stuck in a place of not wanting Blake back and not wanting to let her go. She needed to let her go, because no matter how much she wished things had turned out differently, their lives diverged. Her hand closed around the jewelry. It only seemed right to cut the last tether she had to her partner. Maybe once she did, she could finally start moving on. She headed for her bedroom door, intent on going outside and chucking the necklaces as far as possible.

As she made her way to the stairs, the light of her dad's study outlining the door caught her eye. Her dad woke up early every morning, but normally at this hour, he'd be doing his workout regiment. In all her life, he'd never defected from his routine. So the fact that he abandoned it now was puzzling. Losing the battle to curiosity, she placed the necklaces in her shirt's pocket and knocked lightly on the door. She heard a curse and some fumbling inside, then her dad's voice eventually called, "Come in."

When Yang opened the door, she found her father seated behind his desk. In front of him, tons of shattered vase pieces garnished the table. A segment of the base had been glued back together, however, the mended cracked pieces she could see were sealed together with a gold adhesive. It looked downright captivating. "W-What are you doing?" she asked.

Her dad sighed. "I thought I could put the vase back together piece-by-piece," he admitted almost bashfully. "I was hoping you'd get some kinda life lesson like: if an object is broken, it could be mended into something with more beauty and value than before. Buuuut fixing this thing is taking way longer than I expected."

Well that just hit the nail on the head regarding her life lately. "…Wow," she breathed, not knowing what else to say. "Can I help?" she surprised herself by asking.

Tai's eyes widened with amazement. "Of course!" he urged, gesturing to the seat.

She took it and began sifting through the fragments. Treating it like a puzzle, she fiddled with pieces, testing them to see if they fit on the completed portion. Satisfied with one, she handed it to her dad and he glued it in place.

"Good eye!" he praised.

"You weren't kidding, this is a pain in the ass," she pointed out dryly, making her dad chuckle. However, it was oddly comforting having her mind consumed with something other than her sorrows. They continued to work wordlessly until Yang thought of the sunflowers that the vases used to hold. "Dad… why do you still grow the sunflowers?"

His hands wavered for a moment while he thought, "Well, I guess it eventually became something I did for myself."

"But, doesn't it hurt to look at them?" she couldn't help herself with the question, knowing better than to say her mother's name.

"It did," he said, studying one of the larger pieces between two fingers. "For a long time, actually. I even destroyed all the flowers in the meadow she used to take me to at one point." He sighed. "Not my proudest moment, but one day I went back and the damned things regrew! I thought I'd be upset, but I just remembered all the good memories we had and I was just happy we were able to make them at all… Now I grow them because I like to... I guess it's strange."

Yang thought about his words, feeling the necklaces practically burn against her chest. Visions of her dream came to mind and she hated to admit that Blake was a comforting presence, even if it wasn't real. Decidedly, she wouldn't make any rash decisions right now and keep them in a box, at least until she could decide how she wanted to move forward with them with once she had a clear head.

She continued to work but was stuck on something Blake said in her dream. "Dad…"

"Hmmm?"

She couldn't meet his gaze and continued to stare at the broken pieces. "Remember when you offered to have that therapist for Huntsmen stop by? I… think I'm ready to talk to her."

To her surprise, her dad stood and came to her side of the table. "I'm so glad to hear that. I'll call her today," he said, planting a kiss on the top of her head. "What made you change your mind?" he inquired.

She handed him a piece to be glued on the vase. "I guess everyone needs help sometimes."

Notes:

This chapter ran way longer than expected, so next chapter will be all Blake.

It also came out a lot different from what I first intended, ending up being more erotic and a little trippy, but I figure it works since it's a dream/fantasy.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with gold or silver lacquer.

Lastly, I know Yang is a strong character, but homegirl is going through PTSD, depression, and an amputation. It's hard to imagine a teenager navigating through all that without professional help.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Thirteen Weeks**_

"Should be another hour or so," Emit's voice informed at the pilot's seat, his hands deftly maneuvering some switches and controls. He shot his passenger a quick sidelong look before refocusing his eyes on the sky. "Y'know… I'll admit, even though you've only said a total of fifty words in the span of three weeks, I'm gonna miss having you around."

Next to him in the co-pilot's seat, Blake continued to look out the window. Despite herself, her lips slowly slipped into a smile. "I'll miss you too, Emit," and she meant it. The Huntsman was a lighthearted soul who truly cared about protecting Shion. He and the quaint village had grown on her during her short time there and sometimes Blake would flirt with the idea of living a quiet life in such a place. However, deep down, Blake knew she wanted more than a provincial life.

"Fifty-five words," he chuckled and his passenger's smile grew. "My baby boy is due any day now," he informed, continuing to chatter over the white noise of the engines. The guy liked to talk Blake soon realized after their first encounter with the bandits, but he wasn't one to pry, which she appreciated. "After I drop you off, I'm gonna spend some time in Mistral to see the ball-and-chain and the little man before heading back to Shion," he beamed.

"Ball-and-chain…" she pointed out with amusement.

A hearty laugh filled the hull. "Pet names get way cooler when you're married," he joked.

"Noted," she acknowledged wistfully. She allowed herself to mingle for the remainder of the trip. In no time, they arrived on the outskirts of Higanbana.

"I can't land inside the village, security is tight here," he briefed, descending the ship and landing on a small field. The two of them headed for the open ramp and stepped out into the crisp afternoon air. "Take care of yourself, Blake and hey, if you're ever in Mistral look me up. I'm in the Huntsman registry," he said.

Her expression showed her gratitude. "I will. Be safe," she said, offering him a parting smile before walking up to the gated city. Emit wasn't kidding, Higanbana was well protected. Lucky for her, she was looking for the head of security.

A guard escorted her to a shack near the gate. "Wait here," he instructed, heading for the door.

Soon, a lithe, large specimen of a Faunus stepped out. His sizable ram horns were the first thing to become illuminated by the sun out of the shack's overhang. Hazel eyes settled on her, sparking with recognition. "…Blake?"

She took in the sight of the familiar face, after all this time the man still wore the same weathered duster jacket. He had deeper lines around his eyes and more strands of silver adorning his ginger hair than she remembered. Her lips twisted up before she greeted, "Lucian."

He closed the distance and enveloped her in a hug, lifting her off the floor with a stature that rivaled her father. Although his build was slim, he was still a terrifying sight when standing at his full height. "What are you doing here?" he asked with a barely noticeable accent embellishing his words. Blake attempted to answer as he set her down, but he cut her off. "Where are my manners? Come in," he beckoned to the shack while the guard made his exit. "I made tea."

She frowned, a finger pointing in his direction. "_You_… made tea?"

They walked inside. "A lot has changed, Ms. Belladonna," he admitted, gesturing for her to take a seat in the low-lit space.

"So it has," Blake replied, accepting a teacup with a grin. She couldn't help her nose from scrunching after a whiff of the bitter smelling tea. Out of politeness, her lips cautiously took a sip. Repulsion overwhelmed her and she fought the impulse to spit out the worst tea of her life. She let the contents spill back into the cup, making a face to her host. "_That_—tastes like regret."

He narrowed his eyes, albeit playfully. "Regret doesn't have a taste," he pointed out, taking a sip and hacking.

"Then why do I regret drinking it?" she retorted, falling into a familiar banter.

"Touché," his cup gestured to cheers. Blake united their cups in a quick motion then set the cup back down. No way she'd suffer that torture again. "So, what are you doing here? Alone?" he implored.

If Lucian was anything, he was straight to the point. It was one of the reasons Blake adored him so much. "I left the White Fang," she disclosed, watching his eyebrows rise. "They've lost sight of what matters. I… wanted to see if you'd help me," she said slowly. "A lot of Faunus respect you, humans too. Look at all the good you've done for here," she paused for effect. The White Fang could use your leadership and…" her brows furrowed. "And… I want to stop Adam."

Something flashed in his eyes at the name, the only indication of what she said had cut him. "Adam…" he said quietly. Years ago, both Lucian and Adam labored under the Schnee Dust Company together. Lucian developed a soft spot for Adam and became a mentor, so to speak. He taught Adam how to fight then they both departed SDC to join the White Fang together. "I've seen the news," he eyed his mug, disappointment stamped on his face.

"I was at the Beacon when the White Fang attacked—as a student." Shock overcame his features. She continued after her words sank in, "Adam… he's unhinged." That was putting it lightly.

His gaze became unfocused, a far away look in his eyes. "He had so much determination when he was younger. So much… potential. He became like a son to me, y'know?" he said quietly. "I thought teaching him to fight would channel his drive, but now I realize that if you never heal from what hurt you, you will bleed on people who didn't cut you…"

"Will you help me?" Blake requested after a long pause.

He grew somber. "I want to. Really—but I can't leave. Bandit raids have risen since the Fall of Beacon. So have the Grimm. I'm sorry Blake, but the village, the people, they need me," he explained.

Blake's hopeful expression fell. Months of travel led her to this small ray of hope and now she was back in the dark. "I understand," she uttered defeated.

"Listen, you've always been smart. You'll figure this out," he encouraged.

She wasn't so convinced as she stirred the spoon in her tea. "I don't know what to do now," she confessed.

He placed a hand over hers to stop her stirring, drawing her attention. "Most of the time, I have no clue what I'm doing either. We make this up as we go, but I think it's always the right choice if your heart is in it," his smile lit up the room. "Oh! Why don't you train here with me til you figure things out! It'll be like old times!"

The Belladonna girl couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm. Lucian was one of the people who taught her how to fight while living away from the cities. He was an excellent instructor, showing her how to shoot a gun and the basics of sword fighting; Blake had even based her weapon off of his. The instruction came to an end when he went on a mission in Anima and never came back. She recalled the day that Adam got word his mentor wouldn't return; she'd never seen him so furious.

Well, it wasn't like she had anywhere else to go now. "I'd love to," she agreed.

The shack's door opened then, exposing two women. "Baby Belladonna!" The willowy, Lynx eared Faunus exclaimed with a jolt.

Before Blake knew it, cocoa arms wrapped around her and scooped her up into a hug. "It's good to see you too, Pendula," she wheezed once her feet were reacquainted with the ground.

Pendula eyed the table. "Lucian! Tell me you did not torment her with that revolting liquid you call tea?"

"I did, actually. It's only polite to offer a guest a drink," Lucian retorted.

Pendula picked up the pot. "The only act of politeness would have been to toss this outside!"

Lucian made a face as the other woman left to dump the contents of the pot, it was a rare show of his normally suave demeanor being broke but Pendula had that effect on him. He turned his attention to Blake. "I doubt you could forget that woman," he said dully. Lucian and Pendula became acquainted through the White Fang. They realized they fought exceptionally together even though they bickered to no end. Blake was amazed how Pendula left the White Fang with him, but she guessed they liked each other more than they let on. Lucian gestured towards the other woman in the room who Blake didn't know. His eyes softened, "This is my wife, Chamomile, or Camy for short."

Dumbstruck, Blake's mouth fell open. Camy was lovely—a brunette with silver roots and jade eyes—but what stunned Blake the most was the fact that she was a human. "P-pleasure," she stumbled, extending a hand.

Warm arms encircled her. "We hug here hon. It's nice to meet you, too." Camy made her way to Lucian's side, "Pendula isn't wrong about the tea dear, rats wont even go near it."

Lucian feigned hurt. "My own wife… the betrayal."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later. Camy is way too good for you," Pendula joked, placing the pot back on the table. "Come now baby-B, I'll show you around town and my shop until Lucian gets off work. Then we'll feast!"  
Blake tilted her head. "Your shop?"

"Yes, baby. Turns out, yours truly has an eye for fashion!" her thumb gestured towards her chest. "Since I don't have to fight much anymore, I needed something to take up my time. Besides, I didn't like the direction the White Fang was going so here I am, and these Higanbana folks rave over traditional Faunus clothing styles."

"Wow," Blake said, following her outside.

...

Early the next morning before sunrise, Blake met up with Lucian to train. He led her just past the city's gates to a large field enveloped by trees. Wasting no time, he drew out his weapon, a large flame-bladed sword capable of changing into a marksman rifle. "So, show me what you've got," he challenged, pointing the undulating blade at her.

Blake smirked then launched into a full on attack with her cleaver and sword. Lucian allowed her to control the offensive while he felt her out. He dodged her strikes effortlessly, not even relying on his sword to divert her dual attacks. She tried another angle, baiting him with a clone from a distance. His sword switched into a gun and he shot the copy. Once it disappeared, he deflected Blake's sneak attack at his back.

Discouraged, she baited him again, this time luring him into the trees and used their concealment. When he followed, Blake attempted to use the surroundings to her advantage, utilizing the trees to launch herself at him from different angles like Weiss did with her glyphs. It didn't work. On her third charge, he grabbed her ankle and threw her into a nearby tree. Her body slid down, landing in a huff on the snow. "Ow."

A hand appeared in front of her defeated face. "Very good. Let's go again." She blew her bangs off her face before nodding. They sparred like that for another hour until Blake was huffing and puffing. Meanwhile, Lucian looked as though he just took a pleasant stroll. "You've gotten better," he commended.

Blake scoffed. "Sure doesn't feel like it."

"You have, but there's still plenty to learn." He surveyed the ruffled snowy field as the sun peaked over the horizon. "Like Adam, you've always been very clever." Blake grimaced at the name, recalling how she could barely hold her own against Adam at Beacon. Lucian noticed and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You know what I liked about training you?"

Blake looked up. "What?"

"Adam became very good with his sword. Deadly good. But when I urged him to learn other things he wouldn't. You on the other hand did judging by Gambol Shroud—a cleaver, a sword, a chain scythe, and a gun. All of those weapons takes a great deal of diligence to learn y'know."

Blake looked at her weapon. "I fought Adam… it didn't go well," she admitted.

"He's strong, but not invincible." The large Faunus leaned his frame on a nearby tree. "Do you know how his semblance works?"

She nodded. "His sword absorbs damage and he re-emits it when he's ready."

Lucian's lips thinned. "Exactly. Moonslice is the ideal representation of how he views the world: cruel and unfair. He glows red and wants to send his hatred back at you, deliberately hurting those who hurt him. He's spite incarnate." Blake blinked. She'd never thought of it like that and couldn't help but think of Yang. "He gets dependent on his semblance, keen on absorbing enough attacks for his sword… it's a weakness," Lucian continued, cutting off Blake's thoughts.

Blake nodded, understanding. "Less strikes to his sword."

Lucian nodded back. "Exactly, but understand you will trade blows and you can't let that discourage you. There's nothing wrong with backing down to get a better position and switching up your style. You did just that during our sparring y'know. You realized your dual attacks weren't working and you incorporated more dodges and kicks. That is what you should hone for now." He took a ready stance. "One more," he beckoned.

Blake readied herself, sword drawn in front. Lucian didn't hold back this time. His attacks were so powerful and so fast; it took all of Blake's concentration to fend them off. She hooked Gambol Shroud into a nearby tree to obtain the high ground, but Lucian shot the clone mid-air. Once it disappeared, Blake threw her weapon's strap at him. It wrapped onto one of his wrists and she heaved herself towards him. Both of her feet connected with his chest and she sent him stumbling backwards.

Once Lucian regained his balance he beamed at her. "Excellent," he winked. "We'll continue tomorrow. During the day I can have you worked into the guard's rotation if you want to make some cash?"

"I'd like that," Blake agreed.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Four months, five days**_

After their sparring session, Blake and Lucian strolled through the nearly empty streets of Higanbana. Every morning, they'd train and go back to Lucian's cottage to find an assortment of food cooked by Camy. Much to Lucian's displeasure, Pendula was already seated at the table upon their arrival. "Don't you have your own home to eat breakfast," Lucian quipped to the smirking woman while he and Blake took a seat.

"You know for a fact I have zero food at home," Pendula remarked.

"Whose fault is that?" Lucian pondered.

Pendula rolled her bright blue eyes. "Even if I did have food, you know I'm not missing out on Camy's cooking!" she gestured her fork like a weapon towards him. "Besides, I've got something for Blake."

Blake looked up from her mug. "For me?" The lynx-eared Faunus winked and handed her a large box and bag. Puzzled, Blake opened the contents to find a new outfit and boots with her family's emblem embroidered on them. Astonished, she was at a loss for words. "Pendula... thank you but you didn't have to."

A hand waved her off. "Please, it was nothing," she insisted with a smile. "Plus, if I let you walk around in those tattered clothes another day I might just lose my mind." She set down her mug. "Anyway, I figured you'd appreciate a new coat unlike other people in this room who won't be named."

Lucian deadpanned. "I like my duster."

"We can tell," the other Faunus assured, making Blake giggle. "Well, I'm glad you like the clothes. It's about time you start flaunting that body before you get old like me. Cuz baby, if I had _THAT ASS_! Mmm! I'd be getting into all kinds of trouble!"

Coffee came out of Lucian's nose and the poor guy coughed for several minutes. "My ears are actually bleeding."

Pendula looked as if she were hooked in a riveting daydream. "Child, I can't remember the last time I had a good wrestling match in the sheets... Nowadays I'm just worried I'd hurt my hip if I tried the positions I used to get in."

"Camy why do you let this foul woman in our home?" Lucian implored to his wife.

Camy took her seat with her tea. "I like having her here, dear. She keeps you on your toes."

Blake laughed at her friend's banter and although she treasured these moments, the weight of the White Fang issue continued to hang heavy on her shoulders. Her hand traced her family's emblem on her new boots.

Pendula watched Blake from across the table. "How are Ghira and Kali?" she asked.

"I wouldn't know," Blake replied without looking up. "I haven't seen them for years."

The room fell silent. "I always liked your parents, even if your and I father butted heads at times," Lucian admitted. "But they always dealt with our kind's issues as civil as possible and Ghira is a noble leader. I bet he could help you figure things out."

"I haven't seen them in so long. The way I left… I don't think they'd want anything to do with me."

Pendula made a face. "Sweetie, I've got two children myself. They crazy as hell mind you, but as much as they've pissed me off at times, they're still my babies."

"Agreed," Camy concurred. "My son is the best thing that happened to me, besides you hon."

Lucian smiled. "Pendula, I think that's the best thing you've ever said. Now please keep your mouth shut so you don't ruin the moment." Pendula sent a scornful look towards him through a mouthful of food, which he ignored. "If anything, you deserve to rest and to see your family, Blake."

Blake retrained her focus on the emblem. "I guess I have another trip to plan."

**Six months**

Waves. More waves. Oh, look, even more waves. This wasn't the first time Blake found herself aboard a ship on the great Sea of Menagerie. The boredom of the long voyage would have been tolerable had it not been for the anxiety of seeing her parents after so long having it's effect on her. That, and she was still getting used to the idea of Sun following her after all this time and now she was apparently bringing him home.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad? His presence could alter how her parents reacted to her hopefully? Blake groaned and readjusted herself on the ship's railing at the bow of the ship. Far in the distance, she could just make out the outline of the large body of land.

Her stomach turned thinking about how her parents would react to her. She half expected them to slam the door in her face, or scream at her for being gone all this time, or be disappointed or disgusted that she stuck with the White Fang when it practically became a terrorist group. What she didn't expect was her mother's warm reception and tight hug when her and Sun finally made it to her front door a few hours later. "My baby girl," she articulated, arms clinging tighter.

Once Blake got past her shock she secured her own hold on her mother, cherishing the pure love that was practically spilling out of her.

"Kali? Who is it?" Her father's deep voice requested as he came into eyesight. His eyes widened when he saw her and Blake extended a small smile.

In bed later that evening, Blake couldn't get past the White Fang's presence in Menagerie and what their angle was with her father. She sat up, checking the time and deciding she wasn't getting to sleep anytime soon. She walked the old familiar halls of the grand home towards the kitchen. As she passed the large sitting room, the silhouette of her father occupied one of the plush sofas.

"Dad?"

His head shot up from his book. "Hi, sweetie," he greeted, looking oddly guilty. But why? "I… couldn't sleep."

Blake tightened her yukata and leaned on the door's massive frame. "Me neither. I was just about to make some tea," she confessed. Her father looked relieved; he thought she was going to visit Sun, she realized. "Dad! It's not like that between me and Sun!" she shrieked with red cheeks. What she would give for the ground to swallow her up right then.

"Oh! No, no… Of course not," he stumbled.

"You know, I think I'm tired now. Good night dad," Blake spurted and turned back to her room.

_**Six months, five days**_

Yang tapped a pencil on her living room's table; its rhythm matching her heartbeat. Seven minutes had passed since her therapist stepped out to take a call, instructing Yang to write down her hopes and goals for the future. The paper before her remained untouched.

A moment later, her therapist Amaya returned. She frowned upon seeing the blank page. "Is it difficult to write with your left hand, Yang?" she asked, taking a seat on the opposite sofa.

Yang didn't meet her eyes. "That's not it."

"Tell me what it is," Amaya requested patiently.

The blonde sighed, the pencil halting it's tapping. "What if I told you that this blank piece of paper represented how I see my future more than any words could. I can't write anything down because I don't have any hopes, or goals, or anything going for me. Everything I wanted… it _can't_ happen now."

The therapist crossed her legs. "I understand you've had a huge identity shift these past several months. You've spent your entire life working towards a goal and now you're searching for new possibilities. It's scary, but the journey to internal healing can be confusing and flat out brutal, but I hope I've given you some tools to help?"

She offered a quick nod. Amaya's tips and exercises with the flashbacks were indeed helpful, even if it took her a while to get the hang of her methods. Her approach was all about mindfulness and breathing. Whenever she'd have an episode, she'd let the scene play out and concentrate on getting a handle on her breaths. It taught her to 'ride the wave' in a sense, focusing on the present moment instead of worrying about the past.

Yang had grown to appreciate her throughout the course of their sessions. The other woman didn't beat around the bush when discussing difficult topics and through her, the blonde learned to look at what happened in an objective light. It wasn't good or bad, it just happened. This non-judgmental approach helped her to move on. However, talking about her future always seemed like a dead end.

"I'm glad," Amaya smiled. "For now, I think we should reframe the question. Instead of asking what your goals are, maybe we can reflect on what your values are instead." Her eyes glanced down at her watch. "Unfortunately, that's all the time we have for this session," she informed, rising from her seat. "I look forward to discussing this with you next week, Yang."

"Thanks. Me too," she agreed with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. She rose to walk her therapist out then returned to the couch and plopped down. Her eyes trained on a pile of books nearby. Yang was over Blake—or so she kept telling herself whenever something sparked a memory of her—and that's what she reminded herself as she used the remote to click on the news.

She clicked through the channels aimlessly, halting to listen to Lisa Lavender give an update on the White Fang and Adam Taurus. Deciding that she'd seen enough, she turned the TV off. There was no use worrying about matters she had no control over, or so her therapist said. Yang recalled Amaya's advice, "_Focus on the things and actions you can do to move forward rather than dwelling on the turn of events that you feel are restricting you."_

Her dad announced his return, excited about the arrival of something. He carried a plethora of boxes to the kitchen. After a moment, he walked up bearing a large box and placed it on the table before her.

"For me?" she wondered.

"For you and you only," her father insisted.

She opened the box slowly to find a cybernetic arm awaiting her inside. Her father was spouting off about Atlas technology, but Yang barely registering his words through her distraction. "Huh?"

"Before I could even talk to him, General Ironwood had his top scientists working on this—for you. He wanted you to know you fought admirably," Tai pointed out. "Well, wanna try it on?" he asked with a hopeful note in his voice.

Yang eyed the… thing, feeling uncomfortable. Weird even. Did Atlas and her father think they could just replace her real her arm with this—this clunky piece of metal and what? Be back to her old self? Her spirit had been crushed. Her whole worldview shattered. It left her feeling completely defeated since and to add insult to injury, the person she lost the limb for didn't stick around.

"I uh… I'm not feeling too good right now," she answered, dropping her shoulders and feeling deflated. "Maybe later?"

"Well, alright," Tai agreed reluctantly.

She dragged herself up the stairs but paused to mutter a thanks to her dad.

…

Later that evening, Yang went back to her room after enjoying the company of her father, Professor Port, and Dr. Oobleck. It felt refreshing to laugh again having no idea when the last time one left her lips. The muffled voices of her father and their two guests could be heard outside the window as the trio said their goodbyes. As she neared it, the conversation became clearer.

"Have you thought about going after Ms. Rose?" Dr. Oobleck questioned.

Her father seemed bothered. "I um… have some things to take care of here," his gaze wandered to Yang's window to which she quickly dodged out of sight, letting his words sink in.

Her Taiyang valued his daughters—his family immensely, showing as much by always being a bit overprotective of his two daughters. Yang assumed he was that way because he had lost Raven when she was born, then Summer's death hit him took a huge toll on him. Yang and Ruby resembled their mothers so much and her poor dad was probably terrified of losing either of them now. So him not going after Ruby was surely eating him up.

Musings kept Yang from sleeping until morning. Her father's tough love and the desire to help her sister fueled something in her belly. A purpose, she realized, recalling the promise she made to Ruby that she would always be there for her. Plus, for the first time in a long time, it felt like hope was dangling right in front of her in the form of the new arm.

Feeling like a floodgate of determination had opened and washed away the fear and the doubt. Yang rose quickly from bed, reaching for the arm on her nightstand and walked over to her mirror across the room. Tentatively, she guided the prosthetic in place. Three lights illuminated when the attachment mechanism connected with the metal plate covering her stub accompanied by an odd feeling. Then it became familiar.

The new palm faced up. With deep concentration, Yang tried to recall the muscle memory of the come-hither motion and focused on moving the robotic hand's index finger. The hand followed her command instantly.

Intrigued, she opened and closed the hand into a fist; the machinery emitted soft noises as it followed her bidding. Excitement took over and the blonde gave herself the bird in the mirror. A small smirk escaped her lips at her reflection. "Cool," she uttered.

Outside, Taiyang shifted his eyes up from his gardening. His daughter stood before him with her new prosthetic on. "Well, alright," he approved. "First things first," he stood and clapped the excess dirt off his hands. "You're deconditioned. I'm sure you remember the rock and the path?"

Yang bit back a sigh. Years of training with her dear old dad taught her to do as she was told without complaints. When she was younger, she'd complain or show her displeasure. It didn't take long to realize that only made it worse and her father could get downright diabolical. On the surface, he was sweet and even-tempered, but when it came down to training, there would be no-nonsense. As an answer she offered a curt nod. He held up three fingers and said, "Good. Three trips, then run a lap around the island."

Without another word, Yang walked over to a large boulder, picked it up, and proceeded to haul herself towards the path leading to a large hill.

**NOTES:**

Link to fanart I made for this fic below:

post/188628708161/a-bees-perspective-volume-4-betheleaf-rwby


	7. Chapter 7

Since the crack of dawn, Blake gave up the attempt to sleep and spent a great deal of the morning sitting on her guest room bed and flipping through the aged pages of her first diary. The sound of pots and pans clanking softly in the distance informed her she wasn't the only one up during this early hour. When a louder ding rang, an ear flicked towards the source and Blake succumbed to curiosity. She shut the diary with a snap, collected her slippers, and tightened her yukata before leaving the guestroom. With soundless footsteps, she followed the noise—and heavenly aroma—to the kitchen.

She peeked inside, finding her mother nimbly dicing fresh vegetables. Kali placed the chopped vegetables in a heated pan, quickly transitioning to measuring and adding ingredients into a mixing bowl, pausing at times to toss several pans on the stove.

"You look like a pro," Blake admired as she walked into the kitchen.

The older woman jumped, nearly dropping an egg. "Honey, I'm sorry did I wake you? I'm just so excited you're home. I wanted to make you a big home-cooked breakfast." She flashed a serene smile then grabbed a whisk to mix.

Blake held up two hands. "No, no. I was already up," she ensured and recalled a time when her mother could barely boil water. "When did you start cooking?"

"Hmm? Oh, once we left the White Fang, well… I guess I needed something to do with my time so I started cooking for the guards," she shrugged. "Making sure they're fed keeps me busy."

After a moment of hesitance, the young Faunus couldn't help but walk closer to the stove for a gander. The scent of bacon, eggs, and potatoes accosted her before her eyes had a chance to settle on the pan's contents. She—or her stomach rather—had gotten quite spoiled living with Camy and her delicious cooking. Her stomach emitted a low rumble and Blake abruptly placed a hand on her abdomen, as if that would help tame it down. "Can I help?" she offered.

Kali's head shook. "Oh no, sweetheart. Thank you, but I want to do this for you."

Blake's ears flattened, not feeling like she deserved any of this, but somehow the sentiment warmed her regardless. "Can—I watch?" came the awkward question.

Kali looked up from her measuring cup, offering her full attention. "Of course, sweetie."

There were no words to describe how good it felt to bask in her mother's heartfelt gaze right then. The moment was short-lived; Blake—like a klutz—faltered and gracelessly took a seat on a nearby stool. It was difficult to comprehend why her parents took her return so pleasantly, and their reception thus far had only managed to make her feel like an even cruddier daughter.

"What was training to be a Huntress like?" Kali stirred up a conversation along with her mixture.

"Pretty great…" Blake trailed, unsure how much to reveal. Maybe if she admitted how she abandoned her friends, then her parents would really lose all respect for her? Or maybe they deserved to know the failure they produced? She owed them honesty, right? Blake sighed heavily, deflating. "Amazing, actually," she finally continued, deciding on trying to be open with her parents. They deserved that much. "I was part of Team RWBY with Ruby, Weiss, and Yang." The last name came out thickly.

"We loved watching you in the tournament!" Kali blurted, unable to contain her excitement. "I think the whole island heard me yelling. You girls make a great team."

"Yeah… we did."

Kali halted the cup of coffee she was pouring. Her next words came out very carefully. "You told Corsac and Fennec people died at the Fall of Beacon yesterday. Did your teammates survive?"

_Barely,_ the younger girl jabbed within herself. "Yeah," her lips quivered. "Two other girls I knew didn't."

Before Blake knew it, her mother was rubbing a comforting circle on her back. "I'm so sorry, honey."

They stayed quiet like that until the young Faunus finally whispered, "Mom… _he_ was there."

Kali's hand stopped. "Who?"

"Adam!" the name felt as though Blake were spitting acid. She shut her eyes tightly, on the verge of tears, and remained uncomfortably stiff. "The night you left, you and dad tried to tell me the White Fang was dangerous. That he was dangerous! You said this wasn't the way. I should have left with you."

"Sweetheart, you were at such a malleable age," said Kali, continuing the comforting circles again. "I won't lie, your father and I were afraid you'd be reinforced to hurt people the way Adam was when he first joined. It was why we wanted to leave and get you out of there."

"And I didn't listen," said Blake thickly. "I've been the worst daughter and I'm sorry you have to call me that."

"Don't ever say that!" Kali warned angrily. She tilted Blake's chin up so their eyes could meet. "Your father and I love you and don't you ever doubt that.

"But you were right."

"You've always been so hard on yourself, but your father and I… we should have known better. Tried harder. _We_ were the adults, and we lived with that regret for so long," she frowned deeply. "You can't blame yourself for believing in Adam. He comes off as this virtuous warrior, and he's amassed many followers because of his ambition. They lionize him because his method gets results."

"But—"

"No," Kali interrupted. "_He_ planted these ideas of a new world in your head. _He_ isolated you from us. _He _manipulated you."

Blake frowned. "I… You make it sound like I was a victim… but I wasn't. I did things too."

"I know you've done things you're not proud of, but you realized that causing fear and harm wasn't the answer. Youchose to leave—all on your own. Do you know how amazing that is?"

Blake's eyes flashed at the familiarity of those words; it was what Yang had been trying to tell her all along. She flung herself into her mother's arms, feeling 100 pounds lighter. "I love you," she breathed.

"I love you too," Kali returned her embrace. "I'm so proud of you—for everything. Don't think you have to live up to this impossible expectation of being a perfect daughter. Life is meant to be messy. We're supposed to make mistakes. How else are we supposed to learn or grow?"

"Okay," the younger Faunus agreed quietly. A monstrous growl erupted unexpectedly. Both women looked down at Blake's stomach with concerned expressions and they burst into a fit of laughter.

…

Kali and Ghira grew horrified as one of their guards approached the house carrying a limp Sun in his muscular arms. Ghira urged the guard into his study and instructed another to fetch a medic.

What happened?" Kali demanded to Blake.

Blake hung by the door with her mother, unable to take her eyes off of her shaking hands painted red with Sun's blood. "H-he got attacked."

Kali scanned her from head-to-toe for wounds. When she couldn't find any, her eyes became sympathetic. "Come dear, let's get you cleaned up."

"N-no," Blake begged. "I don't want to leave him."

"I'm just going to take you to wash your hands and we'll come back," she promised.

Blake nodded weakly and the older woman guided her through the house, not realizing they had made it to the bathroom until lukewarm water greeted her jittery hands. Soon the dark red color turned transparent as it made its way down the drain. Her mother sprayed soap into her palm and she numbly went through the motions.

When they returned, Sun had already been tended to with a bandage over his wound and sound asleep. Kali led Ghira out of the study, murmuring something that Blake didn't hear. "Wait," Blake remembered suddenly. She fished out Ilia's Scroll from her jacket and handed it to her father, not bothering with an explanation. Thankfully, Ghira seemed to understand and took it without a word, and offering a quick pat on the shoulder.

Her focus went back to the bloody bandage where Sun's chest rose and fell—a blaring reminder of why she had left her friends behind. Sure the boy's overbearing presence pushed her patience lately; boundaries were never really his thing. However, after all of Blake's efforts to imply she didn't want him around, he remained by her side for some reason.

Blake berated herself, feeling guilt eat at her. Why didn't she try harder to push him away when she found out that members of the White Fang were on the island? If she truly cared, she would have tied him to the front of the next ship leaving Menagerie as an ornamental figurehead. But now it was too late. Once again, her past was the reason a friend got hurt, and this time the attacker was Ilia of all people. Could the girl she once considered a close friend be on a path to becoming someone like Adam? Blake shook the thought viciously from her mind. It was something she would deal with on her own after getting Sun off the island.

She crossed her arms and took a seat, stubbornly refusing to move as the hours ticked past. It was when daylight broke that Sun finally stirred. "Blake?" he asked, confused.

Not wasting any time, she stood before him—hands balled into fists—spelling out why she left her friends behind at Beacon. At one point he tried to console her, but she demanded him to shut up with a venomous voice. She hated how her angry words caused him to flinch—as if she were going to slap him again—but nothing would stop her from driving her point home so he could hate her too. To show that she meant him no harm, she sat at the other end of the large couch and finished with, "They're better off without me. I made my choices and I'll deal with the consequences, because they belong to _me." _

Sun sat up slowly. "You think you're being selfless but you're not," he replied evenly. The words surprised Blake, making her gaze snap to his. She wanted him to be angry with her or blame her for getting stabbed. Instead, he assured her that he would do it all again if it meant protecting her, even promising that Yang would say the same thing.

Her ears lowered and she had to look away. He didn't yell at her or berate her; instead he was speaking almost solemnly. Somehow that made his words carry more weight. It made Blake feel like the world's biggest asshole for assuming she could control his actions. Not to mention how she selfishly tried to make his stab wound about her past. Sun was giving her some tough love, along with a much needed reality check on her self-destructive path.

It was more than that though. He was showing her what she always had trouble doing for her friends—how to be there for someone in need. "You can make your own choices, sure. But you don't get to make ours. When your friends fight for you, it's because we want to. So stop pushing us out. That hurts more than anything the bad guys could ever do to us," he finished.

Blake reflected on this. For so long, her past had riddled her with endless guilt and regret, but he was showing her that she didn't have to face it alone. It was a message her team had tried to drill into her, but she couldn't grasp the meaning until now. When she didn't say anything, the blue-eyed boy said something about getting even with Ilia and cringed with pain as he tried to gesture to himself with his hurt arm. "My hero," she smiled genuinely.

Out of nowhere, Kali fell through the door the same way Sun had last night. "MOM!" Blake erupted, mortified.

* * *

Yang pushed food around her plate, too distracted by her father's words during training earlier to eat. He left a lot to unpack, not only pointing out the flaws in her fighting style but opening the door to the sensitive subject of her mother as well.

"You've been eating like a ravaged dog since we started back up with training," Tai joked, a mocking gleam in his eye. "What's up? Not hungry?"

Yang sent a flat look his way, pushing down the urge to flick a pea for the ravage dog comment. He wasn't far off, but he didn't need to know that. She sat up straighter, rolling her shoulders to loosen the sore muscles. These past couple of weeks were grueling, more so than she remembered growing up. With each day came a new vigorous trial, as if Tai wanted her to reach her breaking point before they began sparring.

To Yang's amazement, the cybernetic hand withstood every imposing task. The thing would never be as good as her actual arm, but it felt closer to natural these days. Maybe that was her dad's M.O. with the constant tasks—to get her comfortable with the arm and build trust in it? Her gaze fell to the reflection in the hand's metal. "I just…have a lot on my mind," she huffed.

"About Raven?" he guessed.

She put her fork down and nodded absently. "How'd you know?"

Tai dabbed his face with a napkin. "You always get this look when you think about her," he noticed, smiling sympathetically. "Honestly when I opened the floodgate about her earlier, I prepared myself for you to interrogate me with a gazillion questions," his forehead puckered. "I'm surprised you haven't asked any."

"I've always had this concocted idea of what she was like since I was a kid," Yang lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. "Lately, I don't know. I guess I've been wondering if she ever cared about me."

Tai's eyes flicked up in surprise. He opened his mouth and then sighed instead. "There was a time I wondered the same thing. About me, I mean," he admitted, running a hand through his hair." To Raven, having people you care about gives you a weakness.

Yang crossed her arms, musing over his words. For her, she never felt stronger than when she fought for her team. Even during her unsuccessful attempt to help Blake, the urge to protect her at all costs was beyond compare. "Qrow said she helped me once and I shouldn't expect more favors," she recalled out loud.

Tai nodded, unsurprised. "Sounds like something she'd say."

"How'd she even get to me?" Yang wondered. The night Raven came, she'd been on a speeding train, underground in Mountain Glen of all places. That question ate at her since.

"Her semblance," Tai remarked, his focus remaining on the table. "She can create a portal to people she's bonded with."

The word 'bond' only confused Yang further. "So… does that mean she cares?"

Tai's lips thinned. "In her own Raven way, maybe she does. Who knows," he shrugged, recalling when he first met the red-eyed woman. "It took such a long time to get her to open up to me."

"How did you?" Yang asked, half-expecting him to brush her off like he always did.

"Well, I kept trying because I had never met anyone like her," he continued to her astonishment. "She was this incredible sword-wielding, ninja fighting badass, but not as good as your dad of course," he winked. Yang rolled her eyes but found herself leaning forward, listening raptly. "Anyway, it always seemed like something was troubling her—hell—most people thought she was difficult. Cold," his mouth formed a lackluster smile. "I would have thought so too, but sometimes she allowed herself to show a different side, and her smile was just…" though he was staring in Yang's direction, his gaze seemed to go beyond her. Lost in his memories. "Let's just say, I would have done anything to see her smile," his voice was full of wonder.

The brawler's lips set into a grim line. There was plenty she'd inherited from Taiyang—besides his name— and now she realized that included their romantic interests. Apparently they were both drawn to dark-haired, complex, sword-wielding women who liked to push people away and run. Add a few puns and well—she was definitely her father's daughter.

"Eventually, I got through that tough exterior and we fell for each other. Raven even started coming around to Summer, respecting her as a leader. For a while, Team STRQ was an extraordinary unit, but to me, we felt closer to family. I would have given my life for any of them. Maybe I was a fool to think that Raven felt the same way…" Tai concealed his tightening mouth by rubbing the surrounding stubble.

"When we graduated, Ozpin's missions became increasingly dangerous. Raven started pulling away from the team. From me," his whole face screwed up now and he clenched his fist, crumpling the napkin. "Then one night, I caught her sneaking out of the inn we found during a mission. I chased her down. Confronted her. She was going to leave without saying goodbye," he cut a humorous laugh. "I don't know how, but one thing led to another and we made love."

Though Yang was grateful for her dad's honesty, that didn't stop a soul clenching cringe from wrenching her body at the thought of her parents getting it on. "Gross, gross, gross, gross," she repeated.

Tai cracked a smile at her sour expression. His mind, however, vividly replayed that night when he and Raven made it back to his room. Making love wasn't the best course of action, but the growing rift between them made her feel like a stranger. They hadn't been together—let alone sleep in the same proximity—for months. It was beyond thrilling to have her take off her mask again. To open up and look at him in that special way that was only reserved for him. However, when he woke up alone the next morning, he didn't exactly take it well.

He took himself off of missions, deciding to teach at Signal instead. Qrow and Summer tried to see him on numerous occasions, but he pushed them away each time. It was nearly a year before he saw Raven again. After months of zero communication, he found the woman who held his vitals on the porch of his home in Patch. She was creating a portal as he approached. He ran towards her when he realized that she was going to leave, calling for her—practically begging.

Just like that, she was gone. Again. Tai cursed loudly, wanted to punch something when the sound of laughter filled the air. Realizing that he wasn't alone, his head snapped to a basket, the look of confusion written all over his face.

When he saw the tiny baby, he didn't need to read the note Raven left to tell him that this was his child. He could see the same humorous gleam in her eye and easy smile that he had. Not to mention a full head of blonde hair that was as gold as his mother's. However, it was almost unbearable for him to look at her because she looked so much like her mother—so beautiful.

Suddenly he was a father. At least, he tried to be one but he thought he was doing a pretty horrible job; constantly putting her diapers on inside out or backward, falling asleep while heating her milk, buying baby clothes that never fit, making her cry whenever he sang. Plus there were the numerous times he nearly dropped her and the one time he did.

It was hard, but Tai fell madly in love all over again. He looked at his girl now, picturing the toothy six-year-old with pigtails and a proud smile curved his lips. "Hey, you're here because of that night," Tai teased. Then his posture straightened, face growing serious. "That reminds me, do I have to talk to you about practicing safe sex?"

"Please don't."

"I'm serious!" He held a finger up. "Boys your age only care about one thing!"

"Dad!" Yang begged, holding her hands up. Her father's soft chuckle put her back at ease and she joined in. "How'd you get over her," she asked after the laughter died down. "Raven."

"Looking after you was a good distraction," he chuckled again. "Even if it hurt like hell sometimes. You looked so much like her. Still do," he exhaled. "Anyway… Fatherhood didn't come naturally to me; frankly, I had no clue what I was doing. Then—without asking her to—Summer came along. I swear she was born to be a mom. Amazing with you—patient with me. Slowly our friendship began to blossom into something deeper. I didn't think I'd open my heart that way to anyone again. I still care about Raven. I probably always will, but I finally realized that if someone wants to be apart of your life, then they'd be there."

"Why couldn't you tell me this when I was younger? When I practically begged you to?"

"Because... she's done horrible things, honey," he looked at her levelly. "Qrow's given me intel on her during his missions. Plus I've personally read Huntsmen raid reports from Anima. Raids led by her." His gaze fell. "Sometimes I wonder if there's any of the old Raven left."

"And did you think I couldn't handle it? Knowing what she was like?" The words were full of emotion. "Dad, I spent years looking for her!"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "Maybe?"

"Maybe?!"

Tai gave her a severe look that made her flinch. She hadn't seen that look since she was a kid, when she'd taken Ruby far away on a wagon and their uncle saved them from Grimm. "It's like you said, you always had this concocted idea of what she was like. Maybe I didn't want to ruin that for you? Maybe I thought she was dangerous? _Maybe_ I didn't want you to find her to have her break your heart like she broke mine!"

A tense silence followed. "Dad," Yang began softly. "I'm so—"

"You don't have to apologize," Tai cut her off, sighing heavily. "It's natural for a kid to want to know their mother. It's me who should be sorry."

The blonde frowned, confused. "For what?"

"For shutting down," Tai said quietly. "You and Ruby needed someone and I… well I was here but I wasn't. I'm sorry."

"You're here now," Yang offered and Tai's eyes brightened with pride. "That's all that matters."

…

"Sorry I haven't visited in a while," Yang's cybernetic hand swept a cluster of fallen leaves off Summer's headstone. Her lips tightened into a sad smile as she admired the engraved rose emblem, fumbling for something to say. No matter how many times she came here, it was always difficult for her to speak as if Summer were right in front of her the way Ruby could. Her sister had always been much better at this. "I uh—made you something," she remembered, laying down a flower crown comprised of mostly white roses.

"This was the day you left on that mission," she recounted as she stood. "For some reason, I remember it like it was yesterday. I was teasing Ruby with the last cookie you baked, making her cry," a chuckle filled the air from the memory. "You said you didn't know how long you'd be gone and asked if I could handle taking care of Ruby and dad. Me being me, I just said, 'of course I can! Look!' And I gave Ruby half of the cookie." Yang's throat tightened. "You just smiled and said, 'that's my girl.'

There it was; the familiar wound that sliced her heart whenever she though of Summer. After all this time, the cut didn't feel as deep or painful, but it still hurt. "You were amazing," she continued quietly. "A real-life supermom. Maybe that's why I wanted to find my real mom so desperately?" she shrugged. "In my mind, I always envisioned her being as incredible as you. That she wanted to be with us, but just couldn't for some reason."

The blonde was about to run a hand though her golden trenched but bunched it into a fist instead, remembering her hair was bound in a ponytail. She cut a harsh laugh. "I thought that if I found her, we could go back to the way it was. We'd have a mom again…" Her new hand made soft sounds as it wiped tears off her cheeks. "Pretty dumb, right?" she asked hoarsely.

"Anyway…" Yang cleared her throat. "Ruby reminds me so much of you. It hurts to look at her sometimes because you're the one I see." Her gaze fell back to the rose emblem. "I used to think she had this absurd view of what being a Huntress was like, but I was wrong. All she ever wanted to do was help in any way she could. Even after she saw all those terrible things at the Fall of Beacon, she's willing to fight to make the world a better place. I was a jerk for thinking that one small girl wouldn't make a difference. I… I haven't been the best sister," Yang admitted, frowning softly.

"I was afraid to move forward back then," she looked at her freshly painted arm. "Too scared to change. I realized if I didn't, then I wouldn't be able to help Ruby in her time of need—or anyone for that matter. I guess you can thank dad for helping me. Just don't tell him though, his ego crushes me enough as is," she laughed softly. "I don't have all the answers or know what tomorrow will bring, but I promise you, Ruby won't face them alone."

With one final, longing look, Yang whispered, "I love you," then headed back towards the house.

Admittedly I have a soft spot for Kali (she reminds me of my mom). Also, I hate how many times Blake slaps Sun in this volume. I know they're trying to show she's frustrated, scared, angry, etc. (plus out of character), but I think her frustration could have carried the same weight without the abuse. I've read that maybe it had to do with Adam abusing her, so she abuses too? Either way, I just never really liked it, but I'll admit it was frustrating the way they had Sun intrude on Ghira and Blake's private talk. They made Sun look downright creepy and annoying listening in on such a riveting scene when Blake finally opens up.

Ugh. I cannot wait until they delve deeper into Team STRQ. Wishful thinking has me hoping they do a whole episode or two of their team history some point in the show. But anyway, I really respect Summer for stepping up and taking care of Yang. I like her so much and she's never even said a word in the show. I get Guardian's of the Galaxy vibes: "He may be your father, but he ain't yo daddy." Raven may be Yang's mother, but Summer is definitely mommy (baker of cookies and slayer of monsters).

I like Raven as a borderline villain. She's done some pretty messed up crap, but unlike Adam, recognized and apologized to one of the people she hurt the most. I have high hopes for her.

Once again I hope you've enjoyed reading and my apologies for the slow update. Life has been busy and there aren't enough hours in the day.

Hope to see you in V5

Cheers!


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